I Remember the Boy
by Miss Black Dragon
Summary: W00t, my first FF8 story. ^_^;; It's a (one-shot) songfic to Lea Salonga's I Remember the Boy. Rinoa's thoughts on Seifer during Squall's little 'I won't have it!' moment. Remembered Seinoa.


I sigh, sitting down on a flashy looking sofa in the waiting room. My nonchalance soon turns to impatience as minutes tick by on the clock in the room. I watch the clock in irritation, idly thinking about Galbadia Garden.

"So Quistis attended classes here...?" I wonder out loud.

Squall snorts. I blink - I hadn't realized he was in the room. I'd heard Selphie wondering if they had Garden Festivals here (I doubt it), and seen Zell starting to shadow box, but Squall hadn't made a sound, staying silent and out of sight.

"Maybe that's why she's so serious," he jokes, a rather rare thing for him.

I shoot him a smile, trying to let him know that I appreciate his out of character-ness, then return to my brooding.

The door opens. Startled, I turn towards the door - Quistis is walking in and settling herself on the chair across from me.

"How'd it go?" asks Squall, always the business type.

Quistis turns her icy gaze on him. "They understood our situation." she announces. "Balamb Garden is safe. The attack on the president in Timber was classified as an independent action - there was an official notice from the Galbadian government saying that Balamb Garden is not being held responsible."

Zell looks at her with quick understanding. "So Seifer's taking all the blame?"

Quistis flinches, making me instinctively want to do the same. "......thetrial'soverandthesentencehasbeencarriedout...." she blurts out.

"...what?" Selphie asks, not quick enough to catch the whole sentence.

"He was executed?" I ask, noticing that my voice seems to have gone up an octave.

".oh." she says, finally understanding.

"Of course he was." I go on sadly. "He attacked the president....he sacrificed himself for the Forest Owls..."

Quistis flicks her head to me, blue eyes flashing behind her wire-rimmed glasses. "It was your group that got Seifer involved in all this." she tells me sternly. "You're a resistance faction, right? You must have been prepared for the worst. And I'm sure Seifer was prepared too, so don't think of it as Seifer sacrificing himself for you."

I cringe, pulling my knees to my chest and turning away from her to stare at the sofa.

"..I'm sorry." Quistis apologizes. "I guess that wasn't much consolation."

"Darn straight it wasn't." Zell mutters.

The world fades, save for the few sounds of everyone discussing their memories of Seifer. When silence wins them over, I realize they're probably waiting for me to speak.

"I..really liked him." I manage to say. "He was always...full of confidence, smart, funny, a cocky wise ass at times, but hey... Just by talking to him, I felt like I could take on the world."

"Your boyfriend?" Selphie asks, perking up a bit.

I pause to consider. "I don't really know." I reply. "I...I think I was in love." Another pause. "I wonder how he felt?"

Selphie smiles. "Do you still like him?"

__

~~~~~

****

Today I heard them play the song again

An old familiar strain from way back when

Every note and every line

It's always been a favorite song of mine

~~~~~

"If I didn't, I wouldn't be talking about it." I snap without thinking. "Sorry." I add, as an afterthought. I return to my brooding. "It was last summer... I was sixteen. Lots of fond memories..."

I trail off, remembering.

__

Seifer… I first met you… at a dance. At the Deling City Hotel, come to think of it. Some sort of concert. I wasn't too clear on what was going on – but I knew one thing. I liked it.

I was just having fun, dancing in the crowd, going with the flow. Until I saw you.

~~~~~

****

It used to haunt me so some years ago

Reminds me of a boy I used to know

And although the melody lives on

The memories and the boy are all but gone

~~~~~

I'm almost laughing at the similarities between our meeting, and mine and Squall's. Same song, same dance, same lines. No shooting stars in the windows at this dance though – it was straight into the dancing with us. My favourite song came on. I saw you from a distance – all cockiness, confidence, blonde hair and trenchcoat with you, not like Squall's loner image and SeeD uniform. I smiled at you, made a 'come closer' gesture. And when you did, I unconsciously said the same thing I'd end up saying the year after.

"You're the best looking guy here. Dance with me?"

~~~~~

****

And while the song still brings that certain glow

And the words still sing of love I know

It isn't quite the way it was before

I remember the boy

But I don't remember the feeling anymore

~~~~~

No answering silence, just a cocky grin and you putting your arms around me, just the way the dance should be. I didn't have to teach you how to dance, you knew already. Everything was perfect. The band played wonderfully, nobody bumped into us, and I loved the song.

…what was that song again?

Oh, the coincidences. It was Waltz for the Moon. How could I forget?

(Ironic that I should say the same lines and dance to the same song with two completely different people.)

But our dance wasn't all. I got your phone number. Scrawled it down on my hand with a pen I found lying on a table. And we started going out that summer - I really do think I was in love.

~~~~~

****

The promises we made seemed easier then

As if we knew our love would never end

But seasons change and time erases the tears

As quickly as the rivers disappear

~~~~~

I always remembered Waltz for the Moon after that. It always reminded me of you in some strange way. Maybe because it was with you that I had my first real dance?

A few strains of Waltz for the Moon start to drift into my head. I'm not sure if it's from my imagination or not. "Since when was there a radio in here?"

__

~~~~~

****

So while the song still brings that certain glow

And the words still sing of love I know

It isn't quite the way it was before

I remember the boy

But I don't remember the feeling 

I remember the boy

But I don't remember the feeling anymore

~~~~~

Selphie looks at me, confused. "Huh? Radio? What radio?"

As usual, only silence comes from the other end of the room. Quistis breaks it with, "What's wrong, Squall?"

I glance over. Squall is staring fixedly at a spot on the wall, a bit like me staring at my knees. He suddenly turns to us, wild-eyed. "I won't have it!" he cries.

"What the hell…" I mutter.

"W-what?" Zell stammers out.

"Are you MAD?!" Selphie yells at him, probably putting it the best.

"**I'm not taking anyone talking about me in past tense!**" Squall shouts, running out of the room.

"…he's gone insane." Quistis murmurs, getting up to go after him.

"True, that." Selphie agrees.

Zell grins at her. "Just Squall? They're insane, the both of them. Quisty from taking classes here, and Squall for just being Squall."

__

Seifer… So many good memories, such a fond romance.

But I don't feel that way any more.

I stare at the same spot Squall was staring at, trying to recall a few lines of a song I'd heard on the radio some far off day. "_I remember the boy, but I don't remember the feeling any more…_" I manage eventually. Sighing, I add to myself, "I always loved Waltz for the Moon."

"…you're a good singer." Zell compliments, smiling.

"Guess I take after my mother." I shrug it off.

(Author's Note: Bleh. Slightly pointless/plotless, I know. But this idea came to me and wouldn't leave me alone till I wrote it. Well, for lack of anything better to say, I Remember the Boy was sung by Lea Salonga, on her '99 album: By Heart. Lea is a Filipino singer who's REALLY REALLY GOOD, and if you're a Les Miserables fan, you may have noticed that she sang the part of Eponine in the anniversary production.)


End file.
